Free
by AppleJuiceSenpai
Summary: AU. Shintaro is an older brother to Marry. He does everything in his power to make sure Marry is happy and safe. Doing the latter is hard when Marry decides to meet some boy and venture out into the human world, as well as making it seem like she is hiding something from him. What else is Shintaro to do but try and keep up?
1. Prologue

Free

_This chapter is unedited and rushed_

**Warnings; **None this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kagerou Project/ Kagerou Days/ Mekakucity Actors or its characters in any way, shape, or form.

**A/N:** Ah, an AU with Shintaro being a big brother to Marry. I'll try to keep the plot consistent, though if anyone has any ideas they wish to see, please tell me! This whole story is inspired by a picture posted on tumblr by actual-shintaro about Shintaro and Marry being some medusa siblings with Shintaro being the silly older brother.

Though I did change it up a bit, it's still inspired by that picture. It's so cute. :D

I've got nothing else to say but to enjoy!

(P.S I rushed through this like, omg. So it may seem rushed, so I apologize. I just really wanted to write this. Orz.)

* * *

Prologue

"Hey!"

The shout made Shintaro jump from his napping place, a table in the middle of the room. He almost knocked over his tea, and dropped his book, as he snapped up into a seating position to blink rapidly at the scene before him.

Marry looked as if she has been caught. "Bad girl, Marry." Shion chided, and Shintaro understood. Mother had caught Marry in another one of her attempts of going outside. "You tried to go outside again."

"Awh..." Marry let her dress fall from where she was clutching it so it would make less noise. "But going outside seems fun..." It was only when Shintaro chuckled at the scene before him that both Shion and Marry noticed him awake. "Ah, big brother! Big brother will agree with me, won't you?"

He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. Shintaro smiled slightly at their mother. "Going outside... would be fun..." But as fun as it seemed, Shintaro didn't like ganging up on their mother who surely had her reasons for the rule. "Still, I agree with mother."

"Big brother!" Marry pouted, sending him a look of betrayal. He smiled apologetically at her.

Shion only sighed, slightly, before laughing. "I know, how about I read you a story, Marry?" Marry turned her pout to their mother, and after a few beats of silence, Shintaro was afraid Marry was going to refuse. "E-eh...do you not want one?" Shion asked, smile faltering slightly.

Shintaro could only chuckle when Marry's pout turned into a smile, and shook her head. "No, I do!"

"Shintaro, do you wish to join?" Shion asked, turning towards her son. Shintaro shook his head, and held up the book he fell asleep with.

"I'm currently trying to finish this one." Shintaro yawned, and placed the book down. He opened to where he left off. "But the way it's going, it's going to be forever before I finish it."

Shion had laughed and went over to the crank for the hammock, and Shintaro sent Marry and her a smile before turning back to his book. He sighed, when he was sure they couldn't hear him and laid his head down on the table.

He was still curious about the outside. And if he wanted to, he could make a dash for the door while Shion was distracted with Marry. But he wouldn't, because Shion trusted him to be responsible, trusted him to be a role model for Marry, as well as a good big brother.

And plus, even if he did, he wouldn't leave Marry behind. It wouldn't be just of him to just leave Marry behind as he explored a world that she seemingly had been curious about since birth. He just couldn't.

So, he tried to focus his attention on the story he had read about a hundred times, and tried to ignore the burning itch of outside.

Shintaro would be lying if he said that he didn't stare at the door every few minutes, though.

…..

Shintaro was laying on the bed next to Marry, pretending to sleep. The story that Shion had told him earlier still rang in his mind, and it made him anxious as to knowing now the reason Shion had locked Marry and him inside their home.

Still, the thought of humans intrigued him as well as frightened him. To beat up their grandfather and to make grandmother leave... He shifted closer to Marry for comfort, momentarily glad that Shion was too busy writing to notice him staring at her from the bed.

He briefly wondered the reason _why_ Shion had decided to tell him the story of her childhood, and then decided it was because he had become of age. Shintaro was older than Marry by a lot, though not much, so that must be it.

Shintaro went to sleep, feeling strangely burdened with something he couldn't understand.

…..

Shintaro stared unhappily out the woods from the balcony. It was nighttime, and the air was alight with fireflies and the chill of summer. As pretty as the scene was, it no longer charmed Shintaro like the outside usually did.

Instead, he flinched at every little noise as if it was more humans to come charging out of the woods and take away Marry.

He shifted slightly so that he was turned away from the woods, unable to handle the paranoia that now accompanied it.

Marry had long since cried herself to sleep. He had been told to stay behind when Shion figured out that he let Marry leave, had let herself go out of their safe haven. Shintaro felt guilt, guilt, guilt, and despair when he found Marry later after a few hours of being alone.

She was covered in blood and their mother was no where to be seen. If he believed what Marry told him, it was all the humans fault. But really, Shintaro blamed himself, he blamed himself for getting their mother killed, he blamed himself for letting Marry get harmed.

He blamed himself for the way Marry blamed herself.

Gritting his teeth, replacing paranoia and anxiousness with irritability and anger, he turned away from the balcony to return to sleep. To return to Marry. It was only themselves now, on their own. Shintaro remembered the way Shion protected them, tried to protect them from the dangers of the outside world.

Now it was Shintaro's turn to protect Marry for every day after.

When he sat down next to Marry, she instinctively curled herself around him. Shintaro petted her hair, swallowing the grief that threatened to choke him.

"I'm sorry."

Whether it was to Shion, their mother, to Marry, the victim, or to himself, Shintaro didn't know.

* * *

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Or a muffin party?

Muffin parties are good. I went to one at my dorm last week and I almost choked.

:D

-AJ


	2. Chapter 1

Free

_This chapter is unedited._

**Warnings:** None this chapter.

**A/N:** I was going to add a bit more before Seto arrives and such, like a bit of _just_ Shintaro and Marry's time at their home. Instead, I got lazy, and stitched up the pieces of this chapter into something _readable_ and called it a day.

Also, _thanks_ for everyone who reviewed! I know I haven't replied to any of them, and I'm deeply sorry about that! Just really busy as of late, but things will slow down soon and I'll do my best to reply from now on!

(P.S I AM NOW GOING TO TRY AND WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER TO 'CATCH YOU, CATCH ME' AND AHHH- -slinks off tiredly-)

Enjoy!

6/26/14-7/3/14

* * *

Chapter 1

As it turns out, trying to kill a human who barged into one's home without hosts' permission is considered 'wrong' to _some_ people. Read: Marry.

Go figure.

So now, Shintaro was standing as still as a rock. By choice, considering the first time he tried to advance he couldn't move for _minutes_ until Marry's gaze wore off. It felt so... weird. Weird and scary and made Shintaro want to rub his arms vigorously until the feel of stiffness wore away.

Seto, the human, gave Shintaro a sheepish smile. "Shintaro, isn't it?"

Marry, Seto, and Shintaro were on the balcony, with Marry standing protectively in front of Seto with a glare that reminded Shintaro so much of their mother that it _hurt._ The sunlight made Shintaro's eyes burn, and his skin feel hot and feverish. His mouth was dry.

This was the first time he'd been _out_ in the open ever since that day. It didn't help that a _human_ was with them.

"Yes," he said stiffly, not really wanting to answer in the first place. "Seto, the human, yes?"

Seto, the human, only gave him a goofy smile that made Shintaro want to throw up. He sneered and glanced at Marry, who gave him a disapproving pout. At that, he cleared his expression and stayed blank, staring at the ground.

Today as been a day that will forever be known as 'Shintaro's foolish mistake'.

It had been a normal day, a quiet one even. Marry was been quiet as of late, and it was rare for her to give Shintaro her sweet smile anymore. That morning, she had made tea for him and her, as they chatted about little things.

Shintaro thought things were going to be okay.

And things _were_ going okay.

That is, until Seto barged into their house and gave a short wave at Shintaro (who was _studying_ his book; totally not sleeping, by the way,) and dashed up the stairs. It took a few moments of staring before it sunk into Shintaro's mind that a _human_ just barged into his house and was _running_ up the stairs to his little sister.

"H—hey!" He had shouted, and tried to stumble up the stairs after the human.

How could a human be so much more quicker than he when _he_ was the one that lived in the house?

Shintaro shook his head and focused back onto Seto, who was talking. "You can call me Kousuke, if you want, Shintaro." Seto said, nodding. "I don't mind."

Shintaro stared at him for a few more moments, glanced at Marry, then sighed. Giving a slight glare, he turned sharply and started inside. The sun was hot, and he was tired; if he was going to deal with this, he wanted for it to be inside.

"Big brother?" Marry called out, confused.

"Inside. Now." Shintaro yelled without looking back. He hoped his wariness showed through his voice. "I think I shall heat up some tea from this morning..."

Heating up something hot sounded nice. Throwing said hot liquid at _someone's_ face sounded even nicer.

Shintaro smiled, if only slightly.

After a few terse hours later, Shintaro still wasn't trusting the boy. Marry, on the other hand, looked so awed at Seto's words that Shintaro was slightly worried (and a bit angry) at her expression. So what? He was a human, of course Marry was going to be _so_ interested in him.

Shintaro frowned.

It was supposed to be _just_ them. No one else.

This wasn't sitting right with Shintaro.

"A gang?" Shintaro asked, glaring at the middle of the table. "Sounds dangerous..." He glanced at Marry, who was still staring at Seto.

"Sounds...," she murmured, still in a trance. Shintaro's jaw clenched. "_Fun._"

Then, it was set.

Marry and Seto were whispering to each other, even as Shintaro was trying to usher Seto out of the door for a very much _needed_ conversation with his little sister. Seto grinned silly at Shintaro, who stared blankly back.

"I'll be back either tomorrow or the day after that," Seto explained, much to Shintaro's annoyance. Who gave _him_ permission to come back? Oh right, that would be _Marry._ "So don't worry, okay?"

Shintaro? Worry?

Pfft. Shintaro just patted the kid on the shoulder, a little bit _too_ hard if Seto's wince indicated anything, and shoved him out the door. By the time the door slammed shut, Shintaro was already whirling around and stomping towards Marry.

"What _was_ that?" Shintaro breathed out, and Marry jutted her chin out at him. There was a few moments of tense silence, Shintaro breathing heavily with frustration and Marry staring calmly at him. As proud as he was that she wasn't scared of _him_, it was _frustrating._

"Please...,w-...what _was_ that?" Shintaro repeated, softly.

"That, big brother," Marry murmured. "Was the beginning of our new future."

She gave him a slightly apologetic smile and left, not elaborating. Shintaro stared after her, as she ascended the stairs. A new future? Was she trying to be deep with giving such a vague answer? His face crumpled, now that he was alone and unsure.

Just like the night their mother died and Shintaro was the one in charge.

"But what if I don't want a future...?" Shintaro asked, to the emptiness around him.

There was no answer.

Just the thrumming of an unsure heart and the soft _click_ of the lights going off above him as Marry went to sleep.

…..

"Hmm," Kano straightened up from examining Shintaro. "If you and Marry are siblings, then why don't you two look alike?" He asked, with a grin, as if he _didn't_ just finish invading Shintaro's personal space. Shintaro placed Seto between the two of them, before explaining.

"Different fathers." Shintaro muttered, eying the two other humans uncomfortably. "That, and my mother said that I took more after our grandmother than I did her." He felt strangely proud of that, though he didn't quite miss the mysterious gleam in Kano's eyes.

"Ah, how interesting!" Kano nodded, and glanced at Kido. "Did you hear that, _commander_?" He grinned. "Very interesting, no?"

"No." Kido said dryly. "Anyways, we have better things to worry about other than their...parentage." She glanced at Shintaro and spoke. "Are you two ready to go? It's getting late, and I need to start working on dinner."

Her voice was impassive, and Shintaro's jaw clenched. "I don't know; ask Marry." Shintaro frowned and glanced at Marry.

Marry gave everyone a timid grin and agreed.

One the way back to the 'base', which Shintaro just found silly to call their new home that, Shintaro stuck himself next to Seto and away from the other humans. Marry was on his other side and both of them were chattering amongst themselves. Kido and Kano were silent, though Kido seemed to be growing more and more annoyed with the blonde just by simply _looking_ at him.

Shintaro groaned internally and scuffed his feet along the path.

Over the past few weeks that they had known Seto, Marry and Shintaro's relationship grew strained. What was once a nice sibling relationship turned into Marry rebelling at almost _everything_ Shintaro said and started listening to Seto.

Always Seto.

Seto was a nice human, don't get Shintaro wrong, but he was just _that_. Human. The same things that killed his mother, and caused their family so much strife. While Shintaro grew used to the yellow eyed boy, it still didn't take away that thorn of discontent.

Kido and Kano didn't really help in those matters, but soon, Shintaro had grew used to them as well. Living in a house full of humans and a little sister who didn't seem to look up to you did that, Shintaro guessed.

It had been a few weeks since that they had moved in at the 'base'. As uncomfortable as it made Shintaro, he got used to it. So much so that he had taken to following Kido around and watching her as she cleaned, and cooked.

Kano snidely remarked one day. "Looks like the lost snake turned into a lost dog."

"I'm not a dog." Shintaro snapped back, feeling oddly insulted. Kido glanced up from cleaning, and took out one ear bud. She rose an inquistive brow.

"Something the matter?" Kido said, frowning at Kano.

Kano rose his hands. "Ah, nothing, nothing," he said with a grin. "Just wondering why Shin-Shin here keeps watching you, eh? Maybe a crush?"

Kido sneered. "Oh, go die." She sighed and glanced at Shintaro, who looked on confused. A crush? What was that? Shintaro blanked his face when he saw Kido staring at him. "Don't worry about Kano, he's an idiot." Kido said dryly before going back to cleaning.

Shintaro only watched as Kano gave him an innocent grin, and sauntered out of the room.

He frowned and returned to watching Kido clean the front living room. Shintaro had noticed this sort of atmosphere around the house, a sort of blanket of discomfort and unhappiness hidden by the playful grins of Kano, the relaxed leader role of Kido, and the fretting niceness of Seto. It was obvious, Shintaro realized as soon as he spent a few nights with the trio.

Something was wrong.

Marry didn't seem to realize the problem as much as Shintaro, she didn't catch the flickering slyness of Kano's grins bordering on sadistic, or Kido's face when she spots something that has anything to do with red or superheroes. Seto managed to hide his faults, but even then, Shintaro manged to catch glimpses of him staring meekly at the floor unhappily.

Shintaro had enough one night and confronted Seto angrily. He cornered him in his room, while he was in the middle of changing.

"Shi—Shintaro!" Seto complained, covering up his chest with his shirt. "A-ah...Is something wrong?" He asked, weakly smiling, when he saw Shintaro glare at him. He glowered harder in response to his question. "Shintaro?"

"What is wrong with you and your siblings?" Shintaro asked, quietly. He had found over his years as a big brother that he needed to speak softly, but blunt, to get out critical information from younger siblings. And these kids? They were like babies to him, so it can't be that hard to get information from them and try to fix it, right?

He hoped. Humans are different from him, and maybe he needed to approach it differently. Shintaro saw a commercial about some sort of slide thing that had involved water. Maybe he can purchase it and fix the trio's relationship.

At least cheer them up because _holy_ _hell_ the house was depressing. And Shintaro was depressed enough without waltzing right into the trio's lives via problems.

"What do you mean?" Seto said, defensively. He winced and looked apologetic. "...What do you mean?" He repeated softer, and Shintaro only huffed.

"You all are acting as if you're all under attack and aren't willing to acknowledge it." Shintaro said blandly. "It's giving me a headache watching you all tip toe around each other like you guys are in hot water." Inwardly, Shintaro was happy he started using expressions from this time period; it made him feel a bit more knowledgeable. He continued. "It's not cool."

"..." Seto scrunched his face up, and Shintaro felt immediate threat. What? Was he going to cry? No, instead, Seto started giggling before his little giggles turned into laughing uncontrollably. Shintaro stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the doubled over human unhappily.

"..."

"S—sorry, sorry," Seto had gasped between breathes, and gave Shintaro a stupid grin. "I'm just not used to you using expressions like that. I'm used to you speaking...formally." Shintaro sighed, and realized that humans wanted to much.

Seto wanted him to speak like he usually did; when he did, Kano would laugh and mock him.

They were confusing and Shintaro refused to think more upon_ that_ matter.

"So?" He prodded, and Seto's face instantly turned solemn. He sighed and sat down on the bed, giving Shintaro a weak watery smile.

"So you noticed, huh?" Seto asked, quietly. "...Yeah, something's wrong."

"Well, what do you humans say? _Duh_." Shintaro countered and chose to stand in front of the human boy. "So tell me, I wish to know so I can find a reasonable explanation. If Marry and I are to live here, at least one of us deserves to _know_ why our hosts' are being so melancholic."

Marry was sleeping in their shared room, Kano and Kido were out getting groceries, and it was only Seto and Shintaro. This was the _perfect_ time to ask such a question, and/if it had such a long explanation. Seto shrugged, and nodded reverently.

"Yeah, you do," he mumbled. "Well, where do I start? It's...not all that...well, I would say simple but it feels complicated. Hm. I guess I can just...blurt it..." Seto refused to meet Shintaro's eyes. "...Our older sister died."

"..."

Shintaro bit back a sarcastic remark, wanting to dismiss it as another _human death_. Humans died all the time, so what was the big deal? Their lifespans were short and paled in comparison to Shintaro and Marry's.

Then memories of the night and the lingering days afterward when his mom died filled his mind and he couldn't help but bite his tongue, not knowing what to say. Things were tense at his old home after his mother had passed away, and Shintaro didn't know exactly when he and Marry started piecing back up the pieces together past all the crying and sorrowful silences.

"...She was our hero." Seto mumured, eyes glazing over in memories. Shintaro suddenly felt like he was invading his privacy. Still, he stayed put and gazed at the human warily, wondering what a _monster _like him could help out a _human_. "Her name was Ayano and she was the best big sister ever."

It was an hour to explain. An hour to make Shintaro feel weird. An hour for Shintaro to grudgingly gain respect for some human he had never met before.

Over the hour, he had moved from before Seto to beside him. Seto was flipping through his phone, and held up the screen slowly to Shintaro. Shintaro leaned forward and squinted, still amazed at these devices, at the picture he was trying to show Shintaro.

A girl with a warm smile seemed to be grinning at him, and Shintaro felt a flicker of reorganization in him. A soft and slow _'Hey, don't I know you?'_ started at the pit of his gut and traveled upwards until Shintaro wanted to ask that question allowed. But he couldn't, because there would be no answer.

You can't speak to a dead human. Especially for the poor human who committed suicide.

Still. The feeling stayed and Shintaro retired that night feeling unsatisfied and responsible for the three kids who took him in. Because that's what they were, _kids_. Still young and human, and had seen so much for their age.

Crawling into the bed beside Marry, careful not to tug on her hair, Shintaro settled mushed against a wall and a mound of hair. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about Seto's explanation and how lost he looked when he was telling him about it.

He didn't know why, but it felt as if he owed something to the dead human. Another older sibling who had died tragically. Shintaro shook his head slightly and closed his eyes, deciding to think more upon the matter when he wasn't tired and confused.

Shintaro fell asleep to Marry's soft breathing.

…..

**Shintaro's dream**

-I see you found my siblings, no?

-...You again.

-Heheh. Do you like them?

-...If I say yes, will you leave me alone?

-Hm. I have a favor to ask of you, if you'll be so kind?

-What?

-Will you watch of them for me, since I can't?

-Why would I do that? They're _human_.

-...

-...Fine, fine. I'll do so, if you can tell me why I can't remember you when I can't wake up. If you can tell me why, then I'll do my best to...watch over your siblings, okay? Because I feel like I know you...

-You don't, and that's okay. And I can't tell you that, but I promise, in time, you'll remember. I promise.

-You seem to like making promises you can't keep.

-Heh~ I'll fulfill them one day, no worries! After all, I'm a hero!

-...

-Hm? Something wrong?

-Do heroes fly?

-...

-They don't, do they?

-...No, not all of them.

-Can you?

-...N-...no.

-Then why did you _try_?

-...

-Tch. You don't know, do yo-

-Because I love my family very much.

-...

-...

-Oh.

-Yeah, oh.

….

Shintaro woke up, sharply, and breathing harshly. He glanced around, and realized that Marry had left him alone in their room. With a sigh, he gazed at the bookcase. Another dream he can barely remember, and it left him frustrated.

Falling back limply on the bed, he closed his eyes and tried to remember the warm presence in his dreams before he failed.

Feeling hungry, he tossed the blanket off of him -either he stole it from Marry, or Marry was kind enough to cover him with it; it didn't really matter seeing that it was thrown to the side now- and headed towards the kitchen.

Feeling strangely charitable, and cheerful, Shintaro decided to make breakfast. Marry watched, with wide eyes, as he sauntered past her and patted her hair affectionately. "Big brother?" She questioned, following him.

"Kido isn't up, is she?" Shintaro asked, and when Marry shook her head, he gave a small smirk. "Great! I feel like making breakfast today."

"...Do you know how to cook?" Marry's question made Shintaro pause, as he fumbled around the kitchen. He set a bowl down on a counter and gave Marry a shrug.

"I don't know. But I watched Kido enough times, I think I know what to do." Shintaro said, confidently. He remembered one meal really well, and that tasted good. He was too entranced to really pay _that _much attention to what Kido was doing, but it shouldn't be that hard to recreate things. "Here, why don't you help? How hard can cooking human food be? It'll be easy, I promise!"

Marry brightened up and didn't ask any more questions, nor made no more doubtful looks of awe.

Of course, as things usually went with Shintaro and his ideas, the trio woke up to the smell of burning bacon and Shintaro and Marry sitting on the floor with flour and pancake batter covering them. Marry looked close to tears with Shintaro staring mournfully at the cracked egg in his hands.

He looked up to the trio's shocked expressions, hair messy and all of them in their pajamas, and said. "I think we killed a baby bird."

It was silent until Kano busted out laughing.

* * *

Like this chapter? Why not review/favorite/follow?

How about we light fireworks and have a cook-out?

Either way, I'm cool with anything.

:'D

-AJ


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